BROWNFIELDS CASE STUDIES
Across the great state of Arizona, many communities are looking to revitalize areas that were once thriving. Some of your favorite areas from around the State may have been originally a part of the Brownfield Program.
Scroll below to see a few recent Brownfield projects here in the Copper Corridor.
HISTORIC SUPERIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The vision of generations of men and women who live in and love Superior has breathed fresh life into one of its most iconic facilities: the historic Superior High School. The architectural beauty that housed teenage students for almost a hundred years has already begun a journey of preservation that began with its purchase in January 2022 by the town of Superior. It will become a multigenerational center featuring Town Hall operations, a library, a workout facility, a dance studio, and a senior center. The complex will also feature the Superior Enterprise Center, which will be the home to programming for job training and development including a commercial kitchen to assist food entrepreneurs.
Developing a multigenerational center was a key strategic goal Superior’s council set in 2016 to ensure that they continue to invest in and expand Superior’s quality of life amenities. The original plan called for constructing a new building, but as costs escalated, dreams nearly evaporated. Superior being a by-product of enduring economic hardships from the bust and boom of mining throughout the years, is positioning itself as a town with a mine, rather than a mining town.
“We are grateful that Mr. Elijah Cardon agreed to sell this important community building to the Town. As is our tradition, repurposing and modifying materials and places is how we honor and preserve our history, continue to tell our story, and embrace the future.” ~ Mila Besich, Mayor for the Town of Superior.
The historic High School, built in 1925, will become a hub for all things Superior, and the historic and important building will once again be accessible to the public. The Town will maintain the structure of the building, only slightly modifying some aspects to allow for accessibility and functionality. By providing a space for education, health, creativity, and culture to flourish, Superior is strengthening a resilient and socially connected community.
Hayden Motel Site
Soon after taking office in 2017, Gila County Supervisor, Woody Cline was approached by the Mayor of Hayden, Arizona regarding an old motel site located in Hayden. The mayor advised that the building was falling down and that debris from the building was blowing into the streets of their town. The building was located on route 277, a main route through the communities of Hayden and Winkelman, and over the years, the building had been nicknamed “the asbestos motel”. Supervisor Cline was unaware of the situation, and he made a trip along with his assistant to check into the building and its condition. After visiting the site and taking pictures to document the motel’s condition, county staff began to investigate how we could address the problem and determine if asbestos and lead were present.
Working with Travis Barnum and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), county staff was able to wade through the issues and put together a plan of action getting assessments performed, and both buildings demolished in less than two years. Gila County has not only cleared the property of the buildings, but also brought in ramada covers and picnic tables providing the community with a parking area for large trucks and RV’s traveling through the area. What once had been an eyesore has become an asset.
Phase 1: Removal of the motel:
Grant funds: $13,000 for the asbestos and lead assessment/survey: $95,000 for removal of the building and hazardous materials. Total Brownfields grant funds: $108,000
Phase 2: Removal of building next door (shared a common wall):
Grant funds: $15,000 for the asbestos and lead assessment/survey: $51,000 for removal of the building and hazardous materials. Total Brownfields grant funds: $66,000
County investment: $49,000 for concrete foundation removal and $36,000 for gravel to cover the empty lots. Total county investment: $85,000
GILA COUNTY RV PARK
The RV Park property in Globe was perceived to have environmental contamination due to oil drums that were dumped on the west side of the property several years ago. Through the Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) conducted on the property, it was determined that there was no environmental contamination, and the property was cleared for development.
Currently, the plot of land hosts one of the best RV parks in all of Gila County!
FUTURE GLOBE FIRE STATION
Gila County was awarded $1 million for the U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program grant for its Copper Corridor Blight Reduction Program.
One of the key pieces of that program will be the demolition of the old medical center on Hwy. 60, and that will be the future site of the Globe Fire Station, which is presently in the building it has inhabited for more than 100 years.
Watch this space for more on that story.
